Assam is Congress' "laboratory of communal experiment": BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today charged Congress with turning Assam into an almost a "laboratory of communal experiment" by not taking adequate steps to prevent the spread of violence from Kokrajhar in the state and sought an explanation from the Prime Minister on the issue.

BJP, which has already sent its team to assess the situation in Assam, alleged violence-hit people coming to relief camps are being sent away and not accomodated while the Army and Police are not taking action to control the violence which is spreading.

The party also alleged there is no governance in the state as no government representative visited the violence-affected areas.

"The communal riots have spread to more than 11 districts and more than 80,000 people have fled from their homes. Houses were burnt...The information coming from our team says the camps are also sending away people and not accomodating everybody who is running away from their homes," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

"We demand a statement from the Prime Minister, who is an MP from Assam, and the communal experiment of Congress should be immedately stopped. They should face up to the situation and make sure peace is restored at the earliest," Sitharaman said.

She also alleged the Army and the police are all there but are "just marking their presence" and not initiating action to control violence from spreading.

"Assam, we know, has been almost a laboratory for the Congress party's communal experiments," she said.